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Reshma Saujani          

Lawyer, Politician, Founder of Girls Who Code & Moms First

Reshma Saujani is a leading activist and founder and CEO of Moms First. She is also the founder and former CEO of Girls Who Code. She has spent more than a decade building movements to fight for women and girls’ economic empowerment, working to close the gender gap in the tech sector, and most recently advocating for policies to support moms impacted by the pandemic.

Her book "Pay Up: The Future of Women and Work (and Why It's Different Than You Think)" presents a bold plan to address the burnout and inequity harming America’s working women today. Saujani is also the author of the international bestseller "Brave, Not Perfect," and her influential TED talk, “Teach girls bravery not perfection,” has more than five million views globally.

Saujani began her career as an attorney and Democratic organizer. In 2010, she surged onto the political scene as the first Indian American woman to run for U.S. Congress. During the race, Saujani visited local schools and saw the gender gap in computing classes firsthand, which led her to start Girls Who Code. She also served as New York City’s Deputy Public Advocate, where she created innovative partnerships to support DREAMers and promote campaign finance reform, among other initiatives.

In her nine-year tenure as the CEO of Girls Who Code, Reshma grew the organization to one of the largest and most prestigious non-profits in the country. Today, Girls Who Code has taught 300,000 girls through direct in-person computer science education programming, and reached 500 million people worldwide through its New York Times-bestselling book series and award-winning campaigns. In 2019, Girls Who Code was awarded Most Innovative Non-Profit by Fast Company.

In response to the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on America’s moms, Saujani launched the Marshall Plan for Moms, now Moms First, to advocate for policies that value women’s labor in and out of the home. The movement has framed the national conversation about how we support moms and is backed by A-list celebrities, activists, and business leaders. Saujani has successfully worked with House and Senate leaders to introduce “Marshall Plan for Moms” legislation at the federal level and is continuing to act as an outside agitator to change culture through creative awareness campaigns.

Saujani is a graduate of the University of Illinois, Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and Yale Law School. Her innovative approach to movement building has earned her broad recognition on lists including: Fortune World’s Greatest Leaders; Fortune 40 Under 40; WSJ Magazine Innovator of the Year; Forbes Most Powerful Women Changing the World; and Fast Company 100 Most Creative People, among others. She is the winner of the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education.

Saujani serves on the Board of Overseers for Harvard University and on the Board of Overseers for the International Rescue Committee, which provides aid to refugees and those impacted by humanitarian crises. In addition, she serves on the Board of Trustees of the Economic Club of New York, and as an ex-officio Trustee of the Museum of Modern Art.

Speech Topics


How to Fail First, Fail Hard and Fail Fast Topics: Courage Inspiring Lives Motivation Overcoming Obstacles and Challenges Personal Growth Reshma Saujani is a serial failed politician. Strikingly, it is because of her failures she has built a national movement that is changing the conversation about women and technology. Recounting her personal narrative and lessons learned in this compelling, dynamic and earnest presentation, Saujani also weaves in stories of other accomplished women who have overcome roadblocks and forged new paths—women who have similarly learned to live an authentic life by taking risks and choosing to seek failure rather than fear it. Offering tools to improve resiliency and embark on new ideas, she ignites and inspires audience members to pursue risk and help reshape the country.

News


This Company Is Making It Cool For Girls to Become Coders
Founder Reshma Saujani, a former New York City public advocate, discovered her mission while running for Congress in 2010. Saujani tells ..
Al Sharpton Deputy Endorses Reshma Saujani | New York Daily News
Harlem Pastor Michael Walrond, a director in Sharpton's National Action Network , has endorsed Reshma Saujani, saying she'll use the office to create “real ...
Reshma Saujani: "I'm One Of You" | New York Daily News
Public Advocate candidate Reshma Saujani – founder of the tech non-profit "Girls Who Code" – released her first TV ad of the campaign Wednesday, ...
Wall Street Dem covers up her past and runs again - Salon.com
Remember Reshma Saujani, the hedge fund congressional candidate? She's back, but don't mention the hedge funds.

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